- Industry: Aviation
- Number of terms: 16387
- Number of blossaries: 0
- Company Profile:
Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc. (ASA) develops and markets aviation supplies, software, and books for pilots, flight instructors, flight engineers, airline professionals, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, aviation technicians and enthusiasts. Established in 1947, ASA also provides ...
A maintenance test performed on a reciprocating engine to determine the ability of the cylinders to hold air pressure. A cylinder will fail a compression test if an excessive amount of air leaks past the piston rings, or if any air leaks past the intake or exhaust valve.
Industry:Aviation
A maintenance test used to identify the cylinder in an air-cooled engine which is not firing.
When a cylinder is not firing, the temperature of the exhaust stack near the head is colder than the temperature measured at the same place on a cylinder that is firing normally.
Hand-held temperature gages, called magic wands, can be used to find the cold cylinder, but on most small engines the cold cylinder can be located by feel.
Industry:Aviation
A maintenance tool used to determine the functional condition of a reciprocating engine cylinder.
A regulated air pressure of 80 psi is directed into the cylinder through a calibrated orifice, and the pressure is measured on both sides of the orifice. The difference between the indications on the two gages is the pressure drop across the orifice. This drop is caused by air leaking past the piston rings or the valves.
Typically, a cylinder should hold 75% of the air pressure applied to it. Therefore the cylinder pressure gage should read at least 60 psi when the input pressure gage reads 80 psi.
Industry:Aviation
A malfunction in an electric arc welding system that causes the arc to vary its intensity. A fluctuating arc is caused by an inadequate electrical ground.
Industry:Aviation
A malfunction in which high voltage in the distributor jumps between the terminals and causes the wrong spark plug to fire.
“Cross (fix) at (altitude)” (air traffic control). A phrase used by ATC when a specific altitude restriction at a specified fix is required.
“Cross (fix) at or above (altitude)” (air traffic control). A phrase used by ATC when an altitude restriction at a specified fix is required. It does not prohibit the aircraft from crossing the fix at a higher altitude than specified; however, the higher altitude must not be one that will violate a succeeding altitude restriction or altitude assignment.
“Cross (fix) at or below (altitude)” (air traffic control). A phrase used by ATC when a maximum crossing altitude at a specific fix is required. It does not prohibit the aircraft from crossing the fix at a lower altitude; however, the aircraft must be at or above the minimum IFR altitude.
Industry:Aviation
A malfunctioning condition of aircraft brakes that produces heavy vibrations. Chattering is caused by a glazed surface on the disk that alternately produces friction and then allows the lining to slip over the disk. High-frequency chattering is called brake squeal.
Industry:Aviation
A maneuver conducted by a pilot when an instrument approach cannot be completed to a landing. The route of flight and altitude are shown on instrument approach procedure charts. A pilot executing a missed approach prior to the missed approach point (MAP) must continue along the final approach to the MAP.
Industry:Aviation
A maneuver in which an airplane descends in a steeply banked, turning flight path. A spiral is sometimes confused with a spin, but the two maneuvers are totally different. In a spin, one wing is stalled and the other is producing lift, while in a spiral, both wings produce lift. The airspeed does not increase as an airplane spins, but in a spiral, the speed can increase to a dangerous level if the spiral is allowed to continue.
Industry:Aviation
A maneuver in which the aircraft moves through the air sideways, rather than straight ahead. Slipping produces a large amount of drag so the airplane can descend at a steep angle without gaining excessive speed. An airplane is slipped by crossing its controls, using right rudder and left aileron.
A forward slip is one in which the aircraft turns its side into the wind, but continues in forward flight. A slide slip is one in which the aircraft continues to point straight ahead, but slips to the side.
Industry:Aviation
A maneuver initiated by the pilot to align the aircraft with a runway for landing when a straight-in landing from an instrument approach is not possible or is not desirable.
Industry:Aviation
